Welcome to King City

King City is a friendly and close-knit community of 14,221 people, ideally located in the picturesque southern Salinas Valley of the California Central Coast in Monterey County. The City lies 155 miles south of San Francisco and 277 miles north of Los Angeles, providing convenient access to all areas of California. King City serves as a gateway and access point for nearby Pinnacles National Park, Monterey County wine region, a thriving agricultural area, U.S. Army Garrison Fort Hunter Liggett, and an area rich in history made famous by the writings of John Steinbeck. The community features beautiful mountain views, tree-lined streets and a quaint historical downtown.

While King City enjoys a charming small town feel, it also offers many amenities. These include a state-of-the art hospital, golf course and swimming pool complex, municipal airport, community college satellite campus, two school districts with five schools, local newspaper and radio station, performing arts center, hotels, campground, and a variety of local parks and sports facilities. Within the City limits is a broad mix of well-maintained residential, commercial and industrial areas.

King City is home to the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds and annual Salinas Valley Fair. The community also hosts a number of other public events, including weekly Farmer’s Market and annual Christmas and 4th of July parades.

The City of King is a full-service City with a Council-Manager form of government. The 5-member City Council is elected by districts to 4-year staggered terms. It provides its own police, fire, community development, recreation, public works and waste water services. Other agencies with offices and facilities within King City include the King City High School and Union School Districts, Department of Motor Vehicles, Highway Patrol, County Sheriff’s Department, Cal Fire, National Forest Service, and King City Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture.

The City was incorporated in 1911 as “City of King” and is a charter city. The City of King derived its name from pioneer Charles H. King, who was born in New York State on May 3, 1884. King purchased 13,000 acres of the Spanish land grant and founded the King Ranch. His crops succeeded beyond expectations in the area, causing the railroads to take note. In July 1886, the Southern Pacific completed rail lines to what became known as “King’s Station.”